How to Choose Rock Climbing Shoes

Built for sport climbers and boulderers who demand sensitivity and power, the Scarpa Instinct VS men's climbing shoes have a precise fit, tough synthetic uppers and grippy soles to help you send.
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View all Scarpa Men's Climbing ShoesBest Use | Rock Climbing |
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Climbing Shoe Type | Aggressive |
Last | Slip-lasted |
Upper | Synthetic microsuede; strap: leather |
Outsole | Forefoot: 3.5 mm Vibram XS Edge rubber; heel: 2 mm Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber |
Footwear Closure | Strap |
Can Be Resoled | Yes |
Gender | Men's |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 0.2 oz. |
6.5 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 38 EU | 38.5 EU | 39 EU | 39.5 EU | 40 EU | 40.5 EU | 41 EU | 41.5 EU | 42 EU | 42.5 EU | 43 EU | 43.5 EU | 44 EU | 44.5 EU | 45 EU | 45.5 EU | 46 EU | 46.5 EU | 47 EU | 48 EU | 49 EU | 50 EU | |
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U.S. Men's | 6.5 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 5.5+ | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 7.5+ | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 9.5+ | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 11.5+ | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 14.5 | 15 |
UK | 5.5 | 6 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
EU | 39 | 39.5 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 42.5 | 43.5 | 44 | 44.5 | 46 | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Mondo | 24.5 | 25 | 26 | 26.5 | 27 | 27.5 | 28 | 28.5 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 24 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 26.5 | 27 | 27.5 | 28 | 28.5 | 29 | 29.5 | 30 | 30.5 | 31 | 32 | 32.5 | 33 |
Rock Shoes: Scarpa recommends you downsize 1/2 to 2 full sizes from street shoe size, though downsizing depends on shoe model, intended use and personal preference.
Mountaineering: Scarpa recommends you upsize 1/2 size or more depending on desired fit. Scarpa plastic mountaineering boots are based on the UK sizing scale.
Ski Boots: All Scarpa ski bootsare measured in Mondo sizing.Highlighted (or not) sizes share the same shell size; the liners are lasted for each 1/2 size. Some skiers may want to downsize up to 1 full Mondo size, depending upon personal preference.
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After trying numerous pairs of climbing shoes (Solutions, Instincts [for women], a couple of different 5.10's and even a pair of So iLLs) these are the ones for me. They cater to those with wider feet and I was able to buy my street size. I wear 7.5-8 in women's and bought these in 39.5 since I lean more towards 8 in women these days. They were perfect. Good amount of snug for first time wear and after one bouldering session for 3 hours, I already feel them molding to my feet. Their performance is great. Rubber will get stickier overtime, heel hook is great and the shoe is designed for toe hooks. Excellent shoes. Can't wait to discover new functionalities with these bad boys.
This is an excellent aggressive bouldering shoe with a great fit for such a downturned shoe. I started wearing Instincts after demoing them at my local gym and have never looked back after wearing Solutions for years. The only complaint I have about these shoes is their durability. While the sole has held up beautifully, after just 3-4 months the toe cap split over my big toe, compromising the stiffness of the shoe for more delicate problems. While I am still happy with my shoes and still climbing in them, I wanted to bring this issue to everybody's attention - maybe you have a similar experience?
I have been climbing for years in solutions and miura vs shoes, and thought I loved them. Then I tried the instincts. These things are magic! I love everything about them; they are the best all-around sport and bouldering shoes I have ever worn. The rubber is great, and they are actually pretty comfy since I did not find a need to downsize as a result of the shape. They felt like a sock right out of the box. I love these shoes and can never go back to solutions again! I was a little worried about the fit as many scarpas tent towards wide feet, but the velcro kept them tight. Buy these shoes!!!!!!!!
This is my first "aggressive" shoe, as well as first synthetic. Street shoe is 44.5, and I got these in 43.5. Quite painful to climb in at first, but after 20 or so climbs, they have broken in nicely. I can't call them comfortable as they are aggressive climbing shoes, but they fit like a second skin now. Edging is fantastic, feels like you can stand on anything. Toe and heel hooks are both great in this shoe. Smearing is better than I expected (due to the segmented sole) but still nothing to write home about. Overall, fantastic shoe once it breaks in a bit and conforms to your foot.
I got these as a gift about a year ago, I’ve been in the gym countless times and outdoor for at least 50 times and they’re absolutely amazing! They work so well for every wall. They aren’t ideal for crack climbing and super overhung walls but they still do pretty well! When I first got them, they felt about half a size too small but they stretched out to fit my foot perfectly within about a week of heavy climbing. I have kinda wide feet so shoes normally feel a little bit tight on the sides but I haven’t had an issue with these. Holding up really well and still going strong!
If you like the fit of the Unparallel Flagship and you want a harder rubber sole, this is your shoe. Originally I bought this for indoor sport climbing but quickly realized I didn’t like the XS Edge rubber on volumes and slopers. As an outdoor sport climbing shoe... YES. It has great support on the small stuff, I feel like I can generate a lot of power with little discomfort. The toe rubber and heel are so solid it will be hard to go to any other shoe. This is my first Scarpa shoe and I am very happy with the quality and fit.
I loved my SCARPA vapor V's and I was climbing V6 regularly. Talked to a rep at a shoe demo and they suggested upgrading to the Instincts for more aggressive climbing to help me with some big sends. I have since sent many V7's and a V8 or two thanks to the edge the Instincts gave me. These are not as comfortable as the Vapor V but are still more comfortable than others I have tried and they break in after 3 or 4 solid sessions. The separated front and rear part of the shoe seem to have a joint between them making them easier to get on and easier to remove than the vapor V and other Velcro system shoes.They do well in power and edging and have great top side of the toe rubber for toe hooking on your big over hanging projects.
Excellent shoe for my feet which are very wide in the toe box. Very comfortable to wear and only really take them off when they get hot or sweaty not because they're uncomfortable. With La Sportiva I usually wear a 46 when my dress shoe size is a 47. I got these in 46 initially and they're balling up my toes making them painful so I went with 47s. They did break in a bit and relaxed up front. I wish the heal was a little more snug, and they could be a touch more sensitive with a little more support in the mid sole for over hangs. I was getting cramps in my feet and really sore calves at first from climbing lots of overhangs. Otherwise they edge great and smedge like a pro on aggressive flagging. I primarily gym and crag climb and do very little bouldering.
These are the best shoes I've had at this point. Comfort is marginal and I take them off right after a climb. The fit is excellent as far as how my foot is shaped. I have the longer toe than my big toe and the tip is shaped for that. The heels fit really good and I don't slip out of them on heel hooks or pulling on overhangs. Having the simple 1 strap setup is nice. I went from lace up Sportiva Katanas that fit better, heel hook well, but no real toe hook help. I also had the older Scarpa Vapor that took forever to break in and just never warmed up to them. This is my go to shoe for hard/technical climbs and overhangs. Check the Scarpa website and download their doc that shows all their shows and what they excel at and what foot type they work best with. It'll help you decide better as to which of their shoes you should try.
Simply put, it does everything very well. Straight out of the box they fit like a glove with no pain or hot spots. (My first somewhat aggressive climbing shoe) I went a half US size smaller (44EU) than my street shoe and they fit my wide feet perfectly. I have worn them bouldering, sport climbing, and crack climbing and they have yet to disappoint me. The hard rubber on the toe makes toe hooks much easier to stick then my previous shoes (5.10 vcs). Overall im very happy and highly recommend them!